r/WeddingDJs

What’s up, everyone!

I’m considering moving from a packed Toyota Sienna to a Zevo 600 or 400 for my Wedding DJ biz. Am I crazy or is this the ultimate branding play?

I’m a professional musician and wedding DJ/MC based in Northern California. For years, I’ve been cramming a full reception rig, ceremony sound, lighting, and my cello into a 2015 Toyota Sienna AWD. It’s at 176k miles, leaking oil, and I’m definitely pushing the 1,200lb payload limit every weekend.
I’m looking at picking up a Zevo 600 to replace it, and I’d love some feedback from owners on the "work-life" reality of these vans—specifically for the Bay Area market in California.

The Strategy:
• The "Sustainable DJ" Brand: I want to do a full vinyl wrap on the Zevo. In the SF/Oakland market, showing up as a zero-emission entertainer feels like a massive selling point for eco-conscious couples.
• The Space: Going from ~150 cu. ft. in the Sienna to 600+ cu. ft. in the Zevo means I can finally stop playing "Gear Tetris" and move everything into road cases with a ramp.
• The Math: I travel +/~ 300 miles for most gigs. At $0.05/mile (home charging) vs $0.25/mile (gas), are the savings real? Is this estimate accurate? I realize charging at fast chargers would be more and comparable to gas prices.
The Reality Checks I need from you all:

1. Garage Clearance is the big one. Most SF garages are 7'0" (84"). The Zevo 600 is 9'2" (110"). For those who use this for work in dense cities: Do you find loading docks and surface lots are enough, or do you regret losing the ability to park in hotel garages for security?
2. Range in the real world. My round trips can hit 200-400 miles. With a full load of heavy speakers and subwoofers, are you seeing a significant range drop? Also going from the foothills of the sierras to the Bay Area and back again there’s a lot of downhill and uphill on the way back. Will I regret getting an electric van because I’ll be stuck charging for an hour just to get home after a 12 hour day at a wedding?
3. Speed Limiter. I’ve heard rumors these are capped at 65mph. If I'm hauling gear from Nevada City down to San Jose, is that 65mph cap a dealbreaker for long highway stretches?
4. The "Orphan" Concern. With rumors about GM’s production shifts for BrightDrop, are you worried about parts availability or long-term service support?
5. Could I build out a bed and kitchen and sleep in the van with my gear and not have to pay for hotels?

Is this the ultimate "rolling billboard and habitation on the road for a gigging musician/DJ” for a niche biz, or should I stick to a low-roof ICE van that actually fits in a garage and can refuel in five minutes at a gas station?

Would love to hear all your thoughts!
-Joey

I’ve been running 2 k10.2s with a qsc 181 & a custom ev15 with a replaced horn.

My k10 died on me last night & I feel like it’s time to upgrade. I’m doing 30 weddings this year & still booking, trying to keep upping my game & I’m scared of a speaker dying during a wedding.

I’m torn between the qsc KC12 3-way speaker system and the evox12. Preferably I’d just get the rcf J11s but they’re back ordered & I have weddings the next 5 out of 6 weekends in a row.

Is a 3-way system significantly better? I have an opportunity to buy a used, year old evox12 system , 2 speakers for $3k, or I could get a new kc12 system with a warranty for approx $3500 plus taxes.

Will I regret going with the kc12? I saw reviews saying it’s clearer but has less bass/low end.

Should I just grind it out the next 6 weeks with a borrowed k10 and hope nothing happens and wait for the j11s? My buddy & I bought these k10s together, used a few years ago, so I’m worried since one died the others aren’t far behind. One of his also died last week.

I’m torn on what I should do, I’d love to hear some of y’all’s thoughts, thanks!

Hi all!

I was wondering if any if you order services or recommendations outside of dj-ing, as part of like a package?

I built a wedding app and was exploring the idea to start marketing it to DJs so that they can sign up as an affiliate, but not sure if its a thing for djs to recommend other apps/services to the couple?

Would love to get more insight

Thoughts ?

Hello all, I am a local DJ in Wyoming and this year for Wedding season I will be traveling all over the state for weddings. I’m currently running some cheap but decent Pyle speakers I got off amazon but as my equipment updates I’m now in the market for some better speakers.

Some of these weddings will be outdoor, some will be indoor so I’m looking for something that kind of gives me the best of both worlds for each venue/area.

Current Equipment:
- DDJ-FLX10
- 16 Channel Mixer

Any recommendations are appreciated!